At what point does someone lose their Conscience?

[InOne]

Noticed there has been a few threads on attacks and stuff really. There is a debate if people are born with a Conscience or not. Do you think it's down to the parents or just something inside of them. (Yes the old nature nurture argument). We have fit this in to a nice little Pidgeon Hole called Anti-Social Personality disorder. But is it more complicated than that? What posesses someone to stamp on a puppies head or beat someone to death for standing up for their Girlfriend?

[WOMBAI]

Probably a combination of nature and nurture - ie. low intelligence and being easily led, not being 'wired-up' properly, environment - dysfunctional family background and bad role models, feelings of anger based on low self-esteem and inadequacy - leading to attention seeking behaviour - the list goes on. Very difficult though to have any sympathy for those that show none for others.

[InOne]

Probably a combination of nature and nurture - ie. low intelligence and being easily led, not being 'wired-up' properly, environment - dysfunctional family background and bad role models, feelings of anger based on low self-esteem and inadequacy - leading to attention seeking behaviour - the list goes on. Very difficult though to have any sympathy for those that show none for others.

Many people who commit unspeakable acts are of pretty high intelligence.

[WOMBAI]

Many people who commit unspeakable acts are of pretty high intelligence.

Not those sort of mindless acts. Intelligent people don't stamp of puppies' heads - definitely some basic brain cells missing there.

[InOne]

Not those sort of mindless acts. Intelligent people don't stamp of puppies' heads - definitely some basic brain cells missing there.

True yeah. Mindless yobism that, if they are doing that to puppies, think what they can do to people. Chilling.

[Niamh.]

I think alot of times it's to do with where and how a person is brought up, who their friends are etc.

But I wouldn't say it's one or the other, I think people can just be born a bit "wrong" too though I would say it's more to do with with your up bringing.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Not those sort of mindless acts. Intelligent people don't stamp of puppies' heads - definitely some basic brain cells missing there.

I think in those circumstances their behaviour can be traced to a lack of love in childhood.

[Fom]

I think in those circumstances their behaviour can be traced to a lack of love in childhood.

I think that is what most of it comes back too, they get no love from their family as they are most likely brought up in a poor, common *Maybe* alcoholic family... they grow up trying to fend for themselves and get in completely the wrong crowd.
Also links to stupidity... these kind of people haven't got the brains for a conscience.

[InOne]

It's weird though, not everyone who is like that had a bad childhood. People are born Psychopaths and some of them do very well in the Business world.

[Niamh.]

It's weird though, not everyone who is like that had a bad childhood. People are born Psychopaths and some of them do very well in the Business world.

I do think that people can just be born that way but I think it's more commonly circumstances

[InOne]

I do think that people can just be born that way but I think it's more commonly circumstances

Yeah usually, apple doesn't fall far from the tree and all that.

[Niamh.]

Yeah usually, apple doesn't fall far from the tree and all that.

Well, yeah, definatley, kids only learn what they see

[InOne]

So many people commit murders and serious crimes though. I don't think they are all without Conscience, it takes a certian kind of person.

[InOne]

Found that scale from the prog 'Most Evil' 1 being the lowest 22 being the highest or 'Most Evil'

01 Those who kill in self-defense and do not show psychopathic tendencies (justifiable homicide)

02 Jealous lovers who, though egocentric or immature, are not psychopathic (crime of passion)

03 Willing companions of killers: aberrant personality — probably impulse-ridden, with antisocial traits

04 Kill in self-defense, but had been extremely provocative towards the victim

05 Traumatized, desperate people who kill abusive relatives and others (like to support a drug habit) but lack significant traits. Genuinely remorseful.

06 Impetuous, hotheaded murderers, yet without marked psychopathic features

07 Highly narcissistic, not distinctly psychopathic people with a psychotic core who kill people close to them (jealousy an underlying motive)

08 Non psychopathic people with smoldering rage who kill when rage is ignited

09 Jealous lovers with psychopathic features

10 Killers of people who were "in the way" or who killed, for example, witnesses (egocentric but not distinctly psychopathic)

11 Psychopathic killers of people "in the way"

12 Power-hungry psychopaths who killed when they were "cornered"

13 Psychopathic killers with inadequate, rage-filled personalities who "snapped"

14 Ruthlessly self-centered psychopathic schemers

15 Psychopathic "cold-blooded" spree or multiple murders

16 Psychopaths committing multiple vicious acts

17 Sexually perverse serial murderers, torture-murderers (among the males, rape is the primary motive with murder to hide the evidence; Systematic torture is not a primary factor)

18 Torture-murderers with murder the primary motive

19 Psychopaths driven to terrorism, subjugation, intimidation and rape, (short of murder)

20 Torture murderers with torture as the primary motive but in psychotic personalities

21 Psychopaths preoccupied with torture in the extreme, but not known to have committed murder

22 Psychopathic torture-murderers, with torture their primary motive, sexual homicide